Filmmaker K Balachander created a new genre of films that excelled in introducing complicated interpersonal relationships and bold social themes while nurturing future talent as a tough taskmaster.
He had an unparalleled impact both in celluloid and on the small screen by championing stories about women’s empowerment and social issues as well as introducing stars such as Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Saritha, Sujatha, Mohan and Prakash Raj, some of whom have become legends in their lifetime.
The Dadasaheb Phalke award-winning filmmaker, 84, died from an age-related illness on Tuesday night.
South Indian superstar Rajinikanth said he had always treated him like his father and not just his mentor.
“He also never saw me as an actor and treated me like his own son… I feel lost in his absence,” the actor said in a statement.
Balachander launched Rajinikanth in 1975 in a critically acclaimed Tamil film Apoorva Raagangal, which revolved around a young man falling in love with a much older woman. They’ve since worked together in more than ten films.
The filmmaker is likely to be cremated on Wednesday. His body has been kept at his Chennai home for his legions of his fans to pay homage.
Haasan, who was busy with the post-production work of his Tamil film Uttama Villain in Los Angeles, boarded his flight from California earlier in the day but won’t be able to pay homage to the auteur.
“Kamal sir is expected to reach Chennai tonight. He will go meet Balachander’s family and pay his respects,” the actor’s manager said.
Balachander, who launched Haasan in the 1973 Tamil film Arangetram, went on to work with the actor in more than 40 films, including hit the Hindi romantic drama Ek Duuje Ke Liye.
One of the rare personalities in the Indian film industry, KB or KB sir as he was known, mastered the art of filmmaking by drawing his story lines from social themes and family issues.
A pioneer in making women-centric films, Balachander captured heroism in the lives of ordinary women in south Indian cinema, which were rare in the 1960s and 1970s.
He created hits such as Arangetram, Aval Oru Thodarkadhai, Rajini and Haasan-starrer Apoorva Raagangal, Avargal, Ek Duje Ke Liye and Aaina.
Born in Thanjavur in 1930, Balachander developed an interest in films when he was just nine years old. He nurtured his interest during his college days in Annamalai University at Chidambaram, where he did a bachelor’s in zoology.
He had a brief stint as a teacher and a clerk but these could not keep him away from his real passion — cinema.
Although he took up a government job at the Accountant General’s Office, he continued his experiments in theatre and wrote dialogue for Deivathai in 1965.
It was mere coincidence that he ended up writing the script for Major Chandrakanth, which turned out to be a huge success. It was such a hit among the audience that the hero of the film Sundarajan came to be known as ‘Major’ Sundarajan ever since.
